Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-02

with view to cripple an,
weaken the administration, and
next to the armed forces under Genera
Lee, was the most dangerous enemy O
the rebublic during the fearful four years
struggle of our civil war. 1t sought
under the cry of Illegal ar ests, to max,
a prominent citizen of Ohio, who ha(
| melted riots and resistance to the draft
! Governor of Ohio. It met in cOnclave q
/ Chicago when General Grant was fight
ing mis- way in the Wilderness and Gen.
eral Sherman was at the gates Of Atlanta
and declared the war failure, demanded
| peace on any terms and q cessation o
hostilities, and placed upon this platform
g Union soldier Of merit, who promptly
and in emphatic langugsge in his letter o.
acceptance, repudiated the disloyal DO
sition in which the platform sought tC
place him. l doubt if the civil his
tory of any government presents
more unpstriotic and dishonorablc
position than that occupied By the
northern wing of the Democratic party
during the civil war. While patriotic
Democrats were following the advice OF
Douglas aud the example of Logan, and,
side by side with the Republican hosts,
were fighting to preserve the Union, the
remnant Of the northern Democracy, in
possession of the party organization, used
it practically in aid of the rebellion.
As to the southern wing of the Demo
cratic party, they at least had during the
war the courage Of their convictions. Led
by false theories and local pride into
armed resistance, they did maintain their
Cause with even more than the courage
and sacrifices Of the Loyalists of La Ven
dee, While condemning their cause we
Can respect their fidelity to it and the sin
cerity OF their motives.
But, in spite of all, rebels and copper
heads combined, in spite of English
cruisers under rebel flags and English
cannon, muskets, arms and ammunition,
the Union armies prevailed.
-
Lincoln was killed when his heart was
full OF gratitude TO God, generosity TO
rebels ana goodwill to sll
men.
Let US pause st the end of the war and
imagine with what feelings these re-
turning soldiers would have received the
prophesy that, within twenty years, the
same elements Of hostility to the Union
cause, the same alliance between Con-
federates and their sympathiZers would
be in possession Of the presidential Of
flee and in substantial control of the gov
eTnment; that the slaves, though nomi-
nally free, were deprived, by unlawful
means, Of all political power, and their
counted TO swell the political
power of their former owners. Who
could believe that such could be the re-
suit? And what q moCkery of Justice;
what reprosch to our patriotism; what
. shame to our IoysI people that it is so. !
Let us see where the fault lies.
Whist was then the feeling and policy
Of inc Republican party? 1t was not the |
triumph Of victory but the sense Of grail |
-ude that we had preserved our country,
and of charity Tor the motives Of defeated |
COufedeTates, with the firm conviction |
nat they would share with US ali the |
blessings Of q strong and united people. |
The Republican party shed 70 blood after !
ne Wal was over, made no contscations. |
provided no punishments. 1t said 10 the |
Confederate soldiers: Go home and sin !
10 more. There was q universal desire
among Republicans for g restoration of .
he rebel states 10 their old place in the !
IniOn with no conditions except such as
would secure faithful observance Of the |
avs OF the United States. It's first step
vas the adoption by the several states of
he thirteenth amendment. The second |
tep was TO put an end to the doctrine of
accession by the fourteenth amendment,
IS broad and liberal 8 proposition in
avOT Of human liberty and human
lights as ever YVES framed By man.
cries Of measures were then, from time
o time, adopted by Congress, among
Which were the gradual repeal of internal
axes, the reduction of the public dect, q
ystem Of liberal pensions to Union SOL
liers, revision of the tariff laws care
ully framed to continue the protection
nd encouragement of American industry.
The Pecitic Railroad was built The
english government was compelled to
make restitution for the WORK of her
ruIsers. The interest of the debt was
Enormously reduced by the process of re-
unding, and, finally, by the resumption
II specie payments, our currency was
laced on the coin basis. This series of
measures, solely the work of the Repub-
lean party, rapidly made good the waste
i wer, and put the country upon the road
# unexampled progress and prosperity.
10 what spirit was this met by the
Democracy?
What language can express the cruel
nd barbarous atrocity of the controlling
lements of the south in their treatment
1 Republicans. both white and black,
nd especially Of the freedmen who had
cen invested by constitutional amend
lents, with liberty and political rights.
'aking advantage OF the detection of An
rev Johnson and his reconstruction pol
~, they commenced with laws that de-
led the freedmen liberty of speech and
t the press, and even the personal free
ON and protection allowed by the laws
f the most despotic powers in Europe to
he mesnest serf, followed by wholesale
assassination of unsrmed and undiscip-
ned negroes inflicted by secret, organ
.ed bands, using all the agencies Of ter
or and superstition that could affect the
lind of an ignorant and credulous
eople with such success that in
IN years after the war the D
of the south could not,as rule,
ote wherever their vote would chlnge (
lie result, they could hold no office, and {
light be cheated and robbed and mur-
cred with impunity. This intimidation
as, in many places, especially in the far .
Outh, extended to white Republicans OF !
haracter and intelligence, among them !
ONE Confederate soldiers, who resisted {
5 far as they could these atrocities, and
ere branded with opprobrious epithets,
=,